Are you having fun?

I have just been to Japan, for part of the time on a group trip with a bunch of people in their 60s and 70s. We clicked, and as the trip went on we laughed more and more and became sillier and sillier. It was a terrific experience.

And It got me thinking about having fun as we age.

We all know the importance of play, fun, laughter, for children. But as we age, life advice becomes more serious – managing cardiovascular risks, the importance of exercise, the risks of social isolation – you will have read articles like this. And much of it is really excellent stuff, likely to improve your quality of life.

But what if it was just as important to have some fun?

Recent data is suggesting there is a connection between longevity and play, lightheartedness and the like. Serious scientists talk about the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline (LC-NA) system, which counters decline by boosting arousal, flexibility, and exploration under uncertainty. I am not a serious scientist (though I admire them greatly), but I can easily understand that the research also shows playful behaviours stimulate cognitive reserves, which in turn are protective against Alzheimer’s disease.

And there is a deal of research showing that laughter strengthens the immune system and improves cardiovascular health. The recent Japanese Yamagata study (2020) and a Swedish twin study in 20i6, for example, add gravitas to these findings.

Harvard says that social sports like tennis add 9.7 years to life expectancy, badminton adds 6.2, versus 1.5 years for solo workouts. I am always both impressed and a bit troubled by the specificity of findings like these, but I am sure the general thrust is spot on.

Enough of science – I think we can all appreciate that play, laughter, curiosity and social connections are good for us. 

So, what to do about this? There are very well-intentioned folks who give prescriptions for increasing play and fun. Much of this is not at all spontaneous, things like scheduling 15-minute laughter breaks using an app, or reading joke books for 10 minutes a day. If it works for you, that’s great. For me, I find that hanging out with friends who have a shared sense of humour is a good start. Being curious about small things, finding the ridiculous in daily dramas, all these work for me. 

There’s no need to aim for hysterical loss of control (though of course that can be most satisfying if it happens); gentle amusement is a good enough place to start. Have a think about times in the past that you have laughed a lot, felt curious or whatever and see if you can reintroduce the circumstances of this into your present life. Issue an invitation to your creative, playful side and see what happens.

Whatever you do to stimulate your sense of playfulness, the main motivation for having fun is that it’s, well…fun.

Enjoy!